PM Owners Report: Chevrolet Cavalier

A sexy, affordable and versatile subcompact.

Most Popular

Jan 31, 1996

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Good things come in small packages, and this one got even better when Chevy restyled and re-engineered it for 1995. The Cavalier used to blend into the crowd, but it surely stands out today. Young singles think it's cute, and small families appreciate its versatility and affordability.

At $10,980 for the base coupe, the Cavalier beats most used-car deals and then tosses in a 3/36 factory warranty plus 100,000 miles between spark-plug and coolant changes. Chevrolet wants the Cavalier to be acknowledged for its value and, according to the owners we surveyed, it definitely is. "Looks and feels more expensive than it is," a Michigan social worker noted, and a New Hampshire interior designer added, "It's a lot of car for not a lot of money." The typical Cavalier owner, according to our survey, is female and under 30.

For 1996, Chevrolet added a 2.4-liter dohc Four to the Cavalier and made traction control standard with the new 4T40-E electronic 4-speed automatic transaxle. So now traction control is available on all Cavaliers. The new dohc Four replaces the V6 in the top-of-the-line Cavalier Z24. The Z24 comes only as a coupe with a special sport-suspension system, 16-in. alloy wheels, 5-speed, cassette stereo and a $14,465 sticker price. Below that there's the Cavalier LS series in sedan and convertible form and then the base Cavalier as a coupe or sedan. The LS has standard air, the 4T40-E automatic with traction control, front and rear stabilizer bars, tachometer, remote trunk release and reading lamps.

The pushrod 2.2-liter engine and a 5-speed manual transaxle are what you get with the base Cavalier. A lower-cost 3-speed automatic is offered in the base series only at $550. This is not the 4T40-E 4-speed with traction control. That transaxle is available in all Cavalier models, as mentioned, but costs $795.

The 2.2-liter delivers 120 hp, while the 2.4-liter puts out 150. A few drivers mentioned that they could feel the a/c cycling on and off with the smaller engine, and several wished that they'd opted for the larger one.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The loudest complaint we heard had to do with noise, particularly engine noise during hard acceleration. Surveyees mentioned rattles behind the instrument panel, wind noise and thumps from the undercarriage.

Even so, workmanship and quality were judged excellent by more than half of our respondents and good by another 42.4%. Yet 31%–a fairly high figure–did report mechanical problems and dealers weren't very good at fixing them. Only 58.8% had a first-time success rate, and the rest needed to go back to the shop at least twice. So owners were not bullish on service, despite free loaners offered by some dealers.

Dealer sales policies came in for mixed opinions. "I had to go to three dealerships before I found one that actually wanted to sell me a car," recounted an Iowa accountant. "Women often seem to be ignored by salespeople." But a Delaware engineer said, "In appreciation for buying the Cavalier, the dealer has sent me flowers along with followup letters and phone calls, asking whether I've had problems with the car. I'm impressed with the dealer's turnaround in attitude."

Owners appreciate the way their Cavaliers handle and drive. But ride and comfort received just average reviews. Basically, the seats were judged too firm, although several owners told us they liked the solid foundation and back support. Front shoulder harnesses tend to dig into the necks of short drivers and passengers, despite the fact that sedans have adjustable guide loops. The lack of rear legroom, particularly in the coupe, came as no surprise to anyone, and a few people commented on the slightly choppy ride.

The Cavalier faces strong competition from such other entry-level cars as the new Ford Escort, Dodge/Plymouth Neon, Honda Civic, Toyota Tercel and Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Mazda Protege and Saturn.

Ordinarily, owners of entry-level cars move upward and onward with their next purchase. Roughly 13% of our respondents had owned Cavaliers before, and when we asked all of our owners whether they'd buy a Cavalier again next time, nearly 62% answered yes. That's a good endorsement.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

EDITOR'S REPORT
Genuine Chevrolet

Unless you're among the minute portion of the population that has no television set and never reads a magazine or newspaper, or you've just been deposited here from a galaxy far, far away, or you've been recently defrosted from your cryogenic chamber after a many-year-long deep freeze, then you've been bombarded by Chevrolet advertisements touting the phrase "Genuine Chevrolet."

What, you may ask, does that mean exactly?

We think it means that Chevrolets represent certain values, features and ideals and have represented them for decades. And, in our opinion, the current Cavalier may be the finest embodiment of those values, features and ideals.

Most Popular

The Cavalier is an all-American car that's been designed, manufactured and, perhaps most importantly, priced for everyone. Whether you're young, old, single, married, childless or beginning a family and you cherish the personal freedom that comes from owning your own car, a Cavalier is for you.

It's downright good-looking. It's packed with engineering and technology–including standard antilock brakes and dual airbags, as well as available traction control. It's built solidly. It handles crisply and nimbly. It offers ample creature comforts and "necessary" luxuries like air conditioning and a choice of different quality sound systems.

And if you're gainfully employed, you should have no trouble sailing through the credit approval, since you'd have to really work at it to buy a Cavalier that costs more than $20,000. You should be able to drive away from the showroom after spending appreciably less than that.

Is this a great country or what?

The Cavalier has come a long way since its inception as one of five nearly identical GM models. Now the car is sleek, swoopy, sporty, comfortable and it shares its platform with only one other car: Pontiac's equally sassy and value-laden Sunfire. And more importantly, it has nothing to apologize to anyone or any other car for–especially when tricked out the way we prefer it, with the dohc 2.4-liter and folding soft-top in the form of the LS convertible. But even in its most elemental form, and despite its relatively low purchase price–a tick or two over 10 grand–this is a real car. A real car with real-car quality and real-car features. And that is critically important to people who buy cars at the inexpensive end of the market. You don't want people to think you can't afford a better car. You want people to think that you're a savvy shopper who knows value and who's not ashamed to announce the kind of car you own, regardless of who asks and under what circumstances.

That's what "Genuine Chevrolet" should be about. And that's why we like the Cavalier so much. And apparently we're not alone, because the folks who own them are glad they do. Even though this is a first car for many drivers, nearly two-thirds of them would make it their second or even third one.–Don Chaikin